BirdTrout

South Branch Potomac River Watershed, West Virginia

2,440 miles of mapped stream across 1,480 square miles of drainage in Pendleton, Hardy, Grant, Hampshire counties, in 162 named streams. West Virginia designates 434 of those miles as trout water, on 86 streams. The 1 mainstem gauge with a July record read 81.5°F in July.

Open in BirdTrout
Map key
Public land — where the bank is open to walk and fish
USGS gauge — live water temperature
Water temperature — the colour of every stream in the basin

50°F and colder is cold, through cold-transitional and cool, to warm above 70°F — the same four bands the app paints. On this map the colour is nothing at all: WV DEP publishes no thermal classification, so every stream on this map draws grey. The gauge dots are the one exception and they read live. Grey is every stream here, for the reason above.

The watershed in numbers

HUC8 02070001 in the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset. Every figure below adds up the river pages in this basin — same records, one basin at a time.

2,440 mi
of mapped stream
5,154 NHD reaches
1,480 sq mi
drainage area
947,104 acres
81.5°F
July water temperature at the gauges
1 mainstem gauge, mean 81.5°F
268,007 ac
public land
28.3% of the basin · 11 units

Cold, cool and warm water

West Virginia publishes no thermal class. What WV DEP publishes is a Category B-2 trout water designation under 47 CSR 2 — the state's finding that a stream sustains a year-round trout population, with annually stocked water that does not hold over excluded by the rule. It is a statement about a fishery, not about a July temperature. It covers 0% of this basin's stream miles (0.0 of 2,440); the rest is untyped and is drawn grey on the map above.

WV DEP publishes no thermal classification of any stream in the state, so this page has no cold/cool/warm breakdown and none is inferred from the trout designation. The designation has one affirmative level rather than a ladder — a stream is Category B-2 trout water or it is not listed, and the E/P/TT codes beside it say how much of WV DEP's assessment unit the designation covers rather than how strong it is — so there is nothing in it to rank a cold reach against a cool one. And the carrying rule does not fit here either: 23 gauges give a sensitivity line at R² 0.476, under the 0.50 floor, so nothing is modelled. See docs/wv-thermal-assessment.md. West Virginia water draws grey on the live map; grey means unmeasured.

Every named stream in the basin

All 162 of them, longest first. 67 have a page of their own and are linked; the rest are in the app. The class column is WV DEP's designation of that stream. It is not a temperature: this state publishes none, so every row reads untyped in the thermal column. "Now" is the live USGS reading where a gauge stands in that stream.

Stream Miles Class Now Designation
South Branch Potomac River 52.7 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
South Fork South Branch Potomac River 51.0 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
North Fork South Branch Potomac River 39.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Mill Creek 22.8 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Mill Run 21.5 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Seneca Creek 20.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Big Run 16.5 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Reeds Creek 15.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Long Run 15.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Dry Run 15.2 untyped — —
South Mill Creek 14.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Brushy Run 13.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
North Mill Creek 13.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Broad Run 12.8 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
North Fork Lunice Creek 12.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Rough Run 11.2 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
South Fork Lunice Creek 11.1 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Smith Creek 10.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Johnson Run 9.9 untyped — —
Whitethorn Creek 9.1 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Thorn Creek 9.1 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Little Fork 8.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Blackthorn Creek 8.5 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Friends Run 8.4 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
Deer Run 8.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Brushy Fork 8.2 untyped — —
Trout Run 8.0 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Sawmill Branch 7.5 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Camp Run 7.5 untyped — —
Lick Run 7.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Kettle Creek 7.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Anderson Run 7.2 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Dice Run 6.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Miller Run 6.7 untyped — —
Jordan Run 6.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Roaring Creek 6.1 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Stony Run 6.1 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Elmlick Run 6.1 untyped — —
Elkhorn Run 6.0 untyped — —
Laurel Run 5.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Spring Run 5.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Rohrbaugh Run 5.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Stump Run 5.6 untyped — —
Walnut Bottom Run 5.5 untyped — —
Sugar Run 5.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Peters Run 5.1 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
Big Star Run 4.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Shaver Run 4.9 untyped — —
George Run 4.9 untyped — —
Fisher Run 4.8 untyped — —
Root Run 4.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Briggs Run 4.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Buck Lick Run 4.4 untyped — —
Wilson Run 4.4 untyped — —
Hoglan Run 4.3 untyped — —
Deep Hollow Run 4.3 untyped — —
Shooks Run 4.3 untyped — —
Straight Run 4.2 untyped — —
Brake Run 4.2 untyped — —
Paddy Run 4.1 untyped — —
Stony Creek 4.1 untyped — —
Horsecamp Run 4.0 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Little Rough Run 4.0 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
McDowell Run 4.0 untyped — —
Elk Run 3.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Whites Run 3.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Wagner Run 3.9 untyped — —
Zeke Run 3.8 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Dumpling Spring Run 3.8 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Turnmill Run 3.8 untyped — —
Dumpling Run 3.8 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Teeter Camp Run 3.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Twin Run 3.7 untyped — —
Flesher Run 3.7 untyped — —
Blizzard Run 3.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Stauffles Run 3.6 untyped — —
Kessner Run 3.6 untyped — —
Little Stony Run 3.5 untyped — —
Back Run 3.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Teter Run 3.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Hammer Run 3.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Redman Run 3.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Core Run 3.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Briery Gap Run 3.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Propst Run 3.3 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
Wolf Run 3.3 untyped — —
Seng Run 3.3 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Shafter Run 3.2 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Rodabaugh Run 3.2 untyped — —
Conrad Gap Run 3.1 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
Kade Run 3.1 untyped — —
Nelson Run 3.0 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Stringtown Run 3.0 untyped — —
Red Lick Run 2.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Powdermill Run 2.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Samuel Run 2.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Moyer Run 2.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Gravel Lick Run 2.9 untyped — —
Little Creek 2.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Bouses Run 2.8 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Harper Run 2.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Judy Run 2.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Upper Gulf Run 2.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
High Ridge Run 2.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Pike Gap Run 2.6 untyped — —
Strader Run 2.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Sawmill Run 2.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Little Star Run 2.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Hiveley Run 2.6 untyped — —
Swamp Run 2.6 untyped — —
Titus Run 2.6 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Pounding Mill Run 2.5 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Bodkins Run 2.5 untyped — —
Saltblock Run 2.5 untyped — —
Crummett Run 2.5 untyped — —
Buffalo Run 2.4 untyped — —
Waterfall Run 2.4 untyped — —
New Road Run 2.4 untyped — —
Elklick Run 2.3 untyped — —
Rocky Run 2.3 untyped — —
McIntosh Run 2.2 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Wyatts Run 2.2 untyped — —
Cold Spring Run 2.1 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Shuckleford Run 2.0 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Cliff Run 2.0 untyped — —
Hemlock Run 1.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Kile Run 1.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Hayes Gap Run 1.9 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
Left Hand Run 1.9 untyped — —
Brandywine Run 1.9 untyped — —
Horselick Run 1.9 untyped — —
Thorny Run 1.8 untyped — —
Little Camp Run 1.8 untyped — —
Morgan Run 1.7 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Shell Run 1.7 untyped — —
Plum Run 1.7 untyped — —
Panther Run 1.7 untyped — —
Mick Run 1.6 untyped — —
Stone Camp Run 1.6 untyped — —
Tool Run 1.6 untyped — —
Long Meadow Run 1.6 untyped — —
Wamsley Run 1.5 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Lower Gulf Run 1.5 untyped — —
North Fork Long Run 1.5 untyped — —
Lunice Creek 1.5 untyped — —
Kentuck Run 1.5 untyped — Trout waters — part of an assessment unit
Bill Run 1.5 untyped — —
Gulf Run 1.4 untyped — —
Brady Gap Run 1.4 untyped — —
Strauter Run 1.4 untyped — —
Gammel Run 1.3 untyped — —
Whiteman Run 1.3 untyped — —
Dolly Run 1.1 untyped — —
Mayhew Run 1.0 untyped — —
Slab Camp Run 0.9 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit
Kettle Run 0.9 untyped — —
Tom Lick Run 0.8 untyped — —
South Fork Long Run 0.8 untyped — —
Whitehorn Creek 0.8 untyped — —
Beech Run 0.7 untyped — —
Smith Run 0.6 untyped — —
Trussel Run 0.4 untyped — Trout waters — whole assessment unit

Public land in the watershed

268,007 acres in 11 units, which is 28.3% of the 947,104 acres the basin covers. Private inholdings carried in the same source file are excluded, here and on the map.

Managing agency Acres Share Units
US Forest Service 268,007 100% 6
WV Division of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Section 0 0% 3
WV Division of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Section and US Forest Service 0 0% 2

The biggest named blocks of it, each with its own page — the streams on that ground, what is open to hunt on it, and where the access sites are.

Best time to fish

The hatch calendar for the Virginia mountains, across the state line — no insect records in this dataset are filed under West Virginia, or this basin's centre falls on the far side of the border, so these are the nearest ones — the same regions the app's hatch panel uses. It is a regional record, not a survey of this watershed: nobody has counted insects basin by basin. Year-round records (midges, scuds, sculpins) are left out; they are true every month and they are not what a calendar is for.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Nothing seasonal on the water.

56 insects are recorded from the Virginia mountains, across the state line. Each links to its own page, with the flies that imitate it.

Neighbouring watersheds

The subbasins that share a boundary with this one and carry coldwater streams.